What's the worst decision I ever made as a Young Idiot musician? Taking music lessons. Why?
1) Often fatal to creativity.
2) Riffs repeatedly slip into songs without warning .
3) I communicate ideas in Roman numerals
Its especially crippling for songwriting. When encountering this problem as a Young Idiot I'd just ball up my fists and cry. Now more mature I resort to a precious bag of tricks.
Three tricks in losing the musical baggage:
1) Writing a song on another instrument : I drop the guitar and pick up a bass. When I lose chords I focus on the melody. Its like introducing Astroglide : a totally different feeling entirely.
2) Go dancing at a club or bar. Why? To meet that special someone who'll dump you. Songs simply flow from broken hearts.
2) Stealing with a twist : Swipe any 2 chords from Beatles "Yesterday" and two chords from any Stevie Wonder classic. You now have something you'd never be able to come up with in a billion years on your own. Pick any two you like. Radiohead & Donna Summer. Jeff Buckley & The Monkeys. Lady GaGa & The Carpenters. You have to put some time into it but this crime will pay.
No matter which way you go here you'll have to finish the song. But we'll talk about that next time.
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